The whole system is a nightmare honestly. Been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for years and they make everything unnecessarily complicated. Just be prepared for delays, lost paperwork, and contradictory information from different representatives.

@Lena Kowalski I just went through this process myself a few months ago! Here are some key tips: 1) File your claim immediately - don't wait even a day because that waiting week starts when you file, not when you lost your job. 2) Have your bank routing/account info ready for direct deposit setup. 3) Create your NY.gov ID account first before starting the unemployment application - it'll save time. 4) Take screenshots of every page as you go through the application in case the system glitches. 5) The weekly certification opens on Sundays and you have until the following Saturday to file it. Set a phone reminder! The process is definitely overwhelming at first but once you get into the routine it becomes manageable. You've got this!

The 'average' is misleading because it depends entirely on your work history. Someone who worked minimum wage jobs will get way less than someone who had a professional salary. Your benefit rate is based on the wages you earned during your base period, not some arbitrary average. Check your online account on my.ny.gov to see your actual calculated benefit amount once you file.

Just went through this myself a few months ago. With your $52k salary, you'll likely qualify for close to the maximum weekly benefit which is around $504. The calculation is roughly 50% of your average weekly wage during your highest earning quarter in the base period. One thing to keep in mind - there's usually a one week waiting period before you start receiving benefits, so plan for that gap. Also make sure you have all your employer information ready when you file online, it speeds up the process significantly. The whole approval took about 2-3 weeks for me once I submitted everything correctly.

Just wanted to add that you should definitely keep detailed records of all your income from both jobs when you file. I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet or using a notebook to track your retail hours and freelance payments week by week. This will make filling out your weekly certifications much easier and help you avoid any issues if NYS Department of Labor ever needs to verify your reported income. Also, don't let the complexity discourage you - if your hours got cut that significantly, you're likely eligible for at least partial benefits and every bit helps!

I went through this exact situation last year! You're definitely eligible for partial unemployment benefits. The key thing to remember is that NYS Department of Labor looks at your "total weekly earnings" versus your "weekly benefit rate" to determine your partial benefit amount. Since your retail hours dropped from 25 to 8 hours per week, that's a significant reduction that should qualify you. When you file, make sure to report your base period wages from both jobs during the initial application, then report ALL weekly earnings (retail + freelance) on your weekly certifications. The system will automatically calculate what you're owed. Don't stress about the irregular freelance income - just report exactly what you earn each week, even if it's $0 some weeks and $200 others. Better to file and get some help than struggle financially!

I've been dealing with the exact same situation - 3+ months pending, can't get through on the phone, and about to lose my apartment. After reading all these suggestions, I'm feeling more hopeful than I have in weeks! I'm going to start tomorrow by calling my state senator's office (never thought of that before) and also send an email to the DOL commissioner using that format someone suggested. If those don't get quick results, I'll definitely try that Claimyr service - honestly at this point paying someone to wait on hold for me sounds like the best money I could spend. It's ridiculous that we need all these workarounds just to access our own benefits, but I'm grateful everyone here is sharing what actually works. Will update if any of these methods help me break through!

I've been stuck in the same nightmare for 4 months now - zero payments, can't get through to anyone, and my savings are completely drained. This thread has been incredibly helpful though! I had no idea about contacting state legislators or that services like Claimyr even existed. I'm definitely going to try the multi-pronged approach that @Vincent Bimbach outlined - contacting both my state senator and assembly member, using Claimyr to actually get through to a DOL agent, and filing complaints with other agencies. It's absolutely insane that we have to go to these lengths just to get benefits we've earned, but at least now I have real strategies instead of just repeatedly calling that useless main number. For anyone else reading this who's in the same boat - don't give up! There are clearly ways to get through this broken system if you know the right channels to try.

The whole seasonal thing is so frustrating because NYS Department of Labor treats us like we're gaming the system but this is just how these industries work! We didn't choose to have jobs that shut down for months at a time. At least unemployment helps bridge the gap but the hoops they make you jump through are ridiculous.

One thing that helped me when I was dealing with seasonal unemployment from my restaurant job (we close in winter) was keeping really good documentation. Save all emails from your employer about closure dates and expected reopening, keep your layoff notice, and document everything when you file your claim. NYS Department of Labor sometimes asks for proof that it's truly seasonal work versus just being laid off permanently. Also, even though you're on standby status, you still need to report any part-time work you might pick up during the off-season - I learned that the hard way when I did some freelance snow removal and didn't report it properly at first.